Did Reading know that Wigan was a big game?

I don’t want to talk about the Reading game itself on Saturday. I don’t want to analyse the tactics or the starting lineup. Today, I want to question the mentality.

To me, it seems that Reading were far more up for the challenge against Manchester United in the FA Cup five days prior to this game. Sure, that’s the kind of game that every player wants to play in but the fact is; that the game against Wigan was colossally more important. So why could Wigan spot the opportunity to really go for it and not us, and why did we offer the lackluster performance of a team seemingly down and out already?

We were outplayed all over the pitch by a far superior Wigan side who wanted it more, and fair play to them.

Usually, Brian McDermott is spot on. He’s a likable manager, with a real honest approach, and has a habit of making good substitutions. But I don’t think his approach helps us in such important, ‘crunch’ games.

McDermott made it crystal clear that the game against Wigan was not a relegation 6-pointer. He played down the importance of the tie beforehand as he always does. Normally, I’d like this approach – it takes the pressure off of the players, and relaxes fans a little more.

In games as important as the home tie against Wigan at this stage in the season, is it really working to just treat the game as ‘just another game’? I fear this mentality was drilled into the Royals’ players’ minds. The players came out, having been told that this game was ‘just as important’ than any other game and the performance reflected that.

We were outplayed all over the pitch by a far superior Wigan side who wanted it more, and fair play to them. They looked much more up for the fight than Reading did. Wigan spotted that this was a great opportunity to really go for it, play well and get a result, and boost their chances of survival. Reading didn’t. Truth is; it was a home game, against a fellow relegation candidate, towards the back end of the season, and Reading simply lacked any sort of heart, desire or spirit.

Perhaps McDermott needs to come out in games such as these and tell his players that like it or not, it’s a huge game, and that we MUST play well. It’s beyond belief how we could be so naive.

Okay, in fairness, the table could look worse. We aren’t out of it by any stretch of the imagination, and there is plenty of tasty looking opportunities to make amends. But what frustrates me and many other Reading fans, is the evident lack of motivation and fight that we showed.

That feeling of a missed opportunity is back, and it feels horrible.

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